The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced its intention to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement as part of its rejection of international efforts to combat climate change and global warming.
The decision of the U.S. administration confirms Washington's intention not to participate in this agreement, which aims to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate global warming.
The White House announced in a statement, after the inauguration of President Donald Trump today, Monday, that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, according to the "French Press Agency."
The withdrawal of the United States, the second-largest polluter in the world, from the Paris Climate Agreement reduces the effectiveness of greenhouse gas emission reductions, exacerbating climate change.
The United States previously withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement during Donald Trump's presidency on June 1, 2017, as Trump believed the agreement would lead to the "destruction" of the American economy. However, the United States rejoined the agreement in January 2021 after President Joe Biden signed an executive order to join it.
Signed in 2015, the Paris Climate Agreement aims to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with an ambitious goal of at least 1.5 degrees Celsius to achieve a sustainable climate balance.
The United States agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 61–66% by 2035, compared to 2005, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, as part of its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement.
The new American president also announced his intention to declare a "national energy emergency," indicating a significant shift in American energy policies. This announcement coincides with the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Among the measures that the American president decided to reverse are the cessation of funding for renewable energy sources, halting the purchase of electric vehicles, and modifying previous climate policies to stimulate the energy transition.
These steps indicate a change in American climate goals, which could affect global efforts to achieve sustainable climate balance.
During his inauguration speech, U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to declare a national emergency in the energy sector, citing the inflation crisis caused by excessive spending and rising energy prices.
This announcement aims to significantly increase production and supplies, leading to a reduction in energy costs. This will happen along with the implementation of new projects for exploration, laying pipelines, building oil refineries, power plants, and nuclear reactors, all while reducing bureaucratic red tape.
President Trump's announcements have sparked outrage among environmental advocates, who see these steps as likely to cause further environmental degradation and weaken global efforts to combat climate change. Analysts fear a repeat of the scenario in major polluting countries like China and India, which could lead to dire consequences.
The most prominent potential consequences include a global decline in climate efforts, an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, worsening climate change, and environmental degradation. Additionally, there could be political impacts, most notably a loss of trust in American leadership.
Simon Stiell, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said that the United States' decision to withdraw from the agreement is a setback, but he affirmed in his statement that "the door remains open," indicating the continued opportunity for a return.
This statement comes in the context of the American withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, which aims to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Stiell said in a statement that clean energy is the best economic investment of the current decade, with its market value reaching $2 trillion last year and continuing to grow. He believes that taking advantage of this opportunity will yield significant economic gains, create millions of jobs, and contribute to improving air quality.
The Executive Director of the UNFCCC emphasized that ignoring clean energy opportunities will lead to missing out on massive investment opportunities in favor of competing economies, a decline in economic competitiveness, worsening environmental disasters, destruction of properties and businesses, and negative impacts on food production.
